Walking aid



Nov. 5, 1957 M. I. RUSSELL WALKING AID Filed March 4, 1955 Fig. 3

1N VENTOR 111421 71? 1. [Zzwse]! ATTORNEY United States Patent WALKING AID Martin I. Russell, Greensboro, N. C.

Application March 4, 1955, Serial No. 492,115 6 Claims. c1. 135-45 This invention relates to a walking aid for those physically handicapped individuals who have experienced a leg amputation or other leg incapacitation or impairments and more particularly to a self-supporting walking cane or crutch that will provide sufficient support in an upright position for a partially handicapped person.

An object of the present invention is to provide a walking appliance in the form of a portable cane or crutch that will furnish sufiicient vertical support for a handicapped individual.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a support for walking that furnishes suflicient purchase for an individual without danger of tilting, slipping, or skidding.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a walking cane capable of standing unassisted in a vertical or upright position.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a portable, light weight walking appliance in the form of a crutch or cane having individual ground-engaging elements which will resist tilting of the appliance under substantially vertical loads.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a hand cane or crutch that will provide a broad ground-engaging base to assist physically handicapped individuals in walking.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a walking appliance having a broad groundengaging base with an adjustable main length member which will be adjustable to accommodate to the height of an individual.

Still further objects of the present invention are to provide a light walking cane or crutch which has a minimum number of parts, of rigid construction and one that is provided with a main supporting member having auxiliary ground-engaging supporting members.

Other and further objects and many attendant advantages of this invention will become readily apparent as the invention becomes better understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of one embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of a modified form of the present invention incorporating a forearm grasp element;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated in Fig. 1 one preferred form of the walking aid which broadly comprises a main cane member 11 having at one end a hand grip 12 and a ground-engaging foot 13 at the other end and a plurality of auxiliary ground-engaging members 14, 15, 16, and 17 that are rigidly mounted ice to the main member to support and maintain the walking aid in an upright position. Each of the auxiliary members 1417 is fastened as by welding to the main cane 11 at a suitable distance from the ground-engaging foot 13 and projects radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the cane member substantially in a plane normal to the cane axis and then downwardly parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cane member. The distal or free end of each of the auxiliary members terminates in the form illustrated in a plane that is substantially normal to the main cane foot 13.

Obviously in some forms the length of the radial as well as the downwardly projecting portions of the auxiliary members may be varied to provide for the specific requirements of each individual. Thus the inclination of the main cane member from the true vertical by the requisite number of degrees may be provided for by varying the downwardly projecting length of the individual auxiliary members.

The ends of the ground-engaging members and the foot 13 are provided with non-slip or skid-resistant cups 18 that are made of a suitable material and are secured to the members. Where desirable, variations of the cups may be furnished such as furnishing suction cups,

or the cane may be used without any of the cups depending upon the nature of the surface or terrain contacted.

In the embodiment illustrated it has been found to be desirable to form the walking aid from a light tubular metal material so that the entire cane will be very light and durable. Although aluminum tubing is preferred other non-ferrous or ferrous materials would be suitable provided they will afford the requisite structural strength.

Since this cane will be used by various height individuals a height adjusting means 20 is provided so that the hand grip portion may be raised or lowered between limits to be accommodated to an individuals height. The height adjusting means 20 is merely an inner rod 21 that is recessed at 22 to receive the spring latch member 23 which is fastened to the rod by the screw 24. When the cane is divided into an upper hand grip portion 25 and a lower portion 26 the rod 21 is inserted into the lower portion and fastened thereto by the screws 27 as shown in Fig. 2. The hand grip portion of the cane is provided with a series of openings 28 for receiving the latch member 23 in one of the openings. The height of the hand grip 12 may be adjusted by depressing the latch member 23 into the recess 22 and raising the hand grip until the latch member engages a suitable opening in the series as shown in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 3 there is illustrated a modified application of the inventive concept as applied to a crutch member 30 in which the lower portion is similar to the walking cane described above except that the hand grip 31 is modified from the hand grip 12.. The hand grip 31 is fastened to the crutch and projects outwardly from the main member 32 and is provided with a suitable hand-gripping material 33. The upper portion 34 of the crutch is offset from the longitudinal axis of the main member 32 to provide for a forearm clasp or clamping member 35 that is pivotally fastened to the upper portion through the clevis joint 36. Forearm clasp 35 is usually formed of a sheet material such as stainless steel or aluminum and is provided with a suitable cushion or padding material 37 that will engage the forearm of the user.

The intermediate offset portion 38 of the crutch is provided with an adjusting sleeve member 39. The sleeve member 39 is inserted between the upper and lower portions of the crutch and secured to the lower portion 40 by means of the screw 41. The member 39 is tapped to provide a series of openings 52 for adjusting the upper portion 34 and clasp 35 to the individuals correct position. The fastening screw 43 will be inserted into the opening 44 in the upper portion to engage with one of the tapped openings 42 in the sleeve member 38.

The adjusting means 45 for the crutch is similar in structure and operation to the height adjusting means 20 described above in Figs. 1 and 2 .for the cane model.

Obviously many modifications and variations may be made in the construction and arrangement of the auxiliary supporting members in the light of the above teachings without departing from the real purpose and spirit of this invention. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims many modified forms of the present inventive concept as well as the use of alternatives and mechanical equivalents may be reasonably included and modifications are therefore contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. A walking aid of the character described comprising a main tubular member having a hand grip at one end of the member and a ground-engaging foot at the other end of the member, means for adjusting the length of the main member, and a plurality of auxiliary tubular members supported from the main member adjacent to the foot end, each of said auxiliary members extending radially in a plane normal to the main member and downwardly parallel to the main member intermediate its length and said auxiliary members terminating in substantially the same plane as the main member foot.

2. A walking aid of the character described comprising a main tubular member having a hand grip and a forearm clamp at one end and a ground-engaging foot at the other end, means for adjusting the length of the main member, and at least two tubular auxiliary supporting members mounted to the main member intermediate its length, each of said auxiliary members extending radially in a plane normal to the main tubular member and downwardly for a length to engage the ground in substantially a plane normal to the end of the ground-engaging foot, said auxiliary members spaced circumferentially from each other in order to maintain the walking aid in an upright position.

3. A walking aid of the character described comprising a main supporting member having a hand grip at one end and a ground-engaging foot at the other end, at least two auxiliary supporting members mounted to the main member at a position intermediate the main member length, each of said auxiliary members extending outwardly radially in a plane normal to the main supporting mem- 4 ber for a short length and then downwardly, terminating in a plane substantially normal to the end of the groundengaging foot whereby the walking aid may be maintained in an upright manner.

4. A walking aid of the character described comprising a main supporting member having a hand grip and an arm clasp at one end and a ground-engaging foot at the other end, and at least two auxiliary supporting members mounted to the main member at a position intermediate the main member length, each of said auxiliary members extending radially in a plane normal to the main supporting member and downwardly terminating in a plane substantially normal to the end of the ground-engaging foot, and an anti-slip pad on each of the auxiliary members and the ground-engaging foot.

5. A walking aid of the character described comprising a main supporting member having a hand grip at one end of the member and a ground-engaging foot at the other end of the member, and a plurality of individual ground-engaging auxiliary supporting members mounted to the main member intermediate its length to maintain the walking aid in an upright position, said auxiliary members radiating from the main member for a short length in a plane substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the walking aid main member and then downwardly parallel to the longitudinal axis to engage the ground in a plane substantially normal to the longitudinal axis.

6. A walking aid of the character described comprising a main supporting member having a hand grip at one end and a ground-engaging foot at the other end, a plurality of circumferentially spaced individual ground-engaging auxiliary members mounted to the main supporting member, each of said auxiliary members projecting radially and in a plane normal to the main supporting member for a short length and then downwardly parallel to the longitudinal axis of the main supporting member, said auxiliary members terminating in a plane substantially normal to the end of the main ground-engaging foot, and antislip pads on the ends of the ground-engaging foot and auxiliary members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,244,869 Everest et a1 June 10, 1941 2,453,632 Lofstrand Nov. 9, 1948 2,516,852 Burry et a1. Aug. 1, 1950 2,642,074 Pedley et al. June 16, 1953 

